Kazuki sat quietly on the bed, staring at the cold wooden floor of their rented room. The muffled sound of the snowstorm outside seeped through the walls. His mind raced as he replayed last night's events.
"Selena's hiding something about her brother," Kazuki thought to himself. "This town's messed up—controlled people, that insane blizzard, and Nolan. But... why should I care? I'm not here to play hero. I'll act if it benefits me. First, though, I'll make Selena spill the truth about Nolan."
Breaking his train of thought, Kazuki turned to Selena. "Oh yeah, the Carnival of Forgotten Faces is today. But with all this snow, it might be canceled."
Selena looked up from where she was sitting. "The Carnival happens every year. The people here won't cancel it so easily," she replied, her voice calm but distant.
Kazuki stood up and stretched. "I'll head downstairs," he said casually, heading toward the door.
"Wait!" Selena's voice stopped him. "I have something to tell you."
Kazuki paused, his hand resting on the doorknob. "Bingo," he thought smugly. "She's finally going to talk." He turned back to her, keeping his expression neutral. "What is it?"
Selena hesitated, her lips trembling as she searched for the right words. "The people... the people of this town are being manipulated," she admitted finally.
Kazuki raised an eyebrow, feigning ignorance. "By who?" he asked, his voice laced with curiosity.
Selena took a deep breath, her voice barely above a whisper. "By my brother. Nolan."
Kazuki let the words hang in the air before stepping back and closing the door. "Who is he, and what does he want?" he asked, his tone sharp but controlled.
Selena lowered her gaze. "He's the oldest of the five of us. The god of frost. He's the reason this town is buried in snow and why the people are acting like this." Her voice grew firmer, anger and guilt mingling together. "He's slowly draining their life force to strengthen his power."
Kazuki leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. "And? Why does that matter to you?"
Selena's hands clenched into fists. "We can at least try to save them!" she said, her voice rising.
"Save them?" Kazuki's tone turned cold. "I thought you wanted to be accepted again. Helping these people will only slow you down—or worse, ruin your chances entirely."
Selena flinched at his words but stood her ground. "But it's the right thing to do! These people don't deserve this. I don't care if I'm not accepted anymore. If saving them means defying my brother, so be it!"
Kazuki stared at her, his mask hiding his expression. For a moment, silence filled the room, broken only by the sound of the wind outside. Finally, he spoke. "If we help them, Nolan might show up. You've seen what he can do. I'm just human. I can't fight a god that easily." His mind flickered back to the memory of their battle. He could still feel the cold, the pain, the overwhelming power Nolan wielded.
Selena's eyes softened. "We don't have to fight him. We just need to save the people," she said. "He's too busy with his plans to notice us right away."
Kazuki sighed, rubbing his temples. "Fine. But if things get out of hand, we're done. I'm not risking my life for these people." He pointed at her. "And don't expect me to care if we fail."
Selena nodded, her determination unwavering. "That's enough for now," she said quietly.
Meanwhile, at the top of the towering structure in the center of Mirkdusk, a group of masked figures moved stealthily through the shadows. Among them was Roberto, their leader, his expression tense as he barked orders to his men. "Hide properly!" he snapped, his voice barely above a whisper. "We endure this cold for one reason only—revenge. Stay focused!"
One of his men shivered, adjusting his mask. "Boss, are we really going to—"
"Shut up," Roberto cut him off, glaring. He approached the frost-covered window, his eyes scanning the streets below. His expression twisted in confusion as he spotted something unusual.
A horde of townspeople moved through the snow, each one clutching a small statue of Nolan. Their movements were slow, almost robotic, as they marched together in eerie silence.
"What the hell?" Roberto muttered. "What's going on down there?" His confusion deepened as he noticed the absence of the usual Carnival festivities. "Did they cancel the Carnival? No way..."
He shook his head, trying to focus. "Doesn't matter," he said firmly, turning back to his men. "We'll carry out our plan, no matter what's happening out there."
But even as he spoke, unease crept into his mind. Something wasn't right in Mirkdusk, and whatever it was, it felt far beyond his control.
Back at the inn, Kazuki and Selena prepared themselves for what lay ahead. The blizzard outside howled like a warning, but neither of them flinched. Their paths were set, and whether they succeeded or failed, the truth about Nolan could no longer be avoided.
TBC
NOTE FROM AUTHOR:
Apologies for not being able to upload any chapters this past week. I've been dealing with the flu and also needed to focus on preparing for exams. Thank you so much for your understanding and patience!